Water, Water Everywhere...but there is still a beer to drink

The rain came. Malaysia opened some dam flood gate, according to Patrick, and the water cascaded into Hat Yai.

The water at our house came up, almost into the house ( I had to bring my bike into the house) and went back down again. There was a mighty storm that night. Sheet lightening and rolling thunder went on for some two hours before it passed over us. We lay in bed listening. It was like the voice of Nature.

The next morning the rain had gone. We spent the day cleaning up. Phones and internet were down so there was, and indeed is, no communication. The day after that I ventured into Hat Yai at six in the morning. Movies like "I am Legend" sprang to mind. Flooded, empty streets receding into misty, ghostly vapour. It was very eerie, like a forecast of some future apocalpse. A few people standing at the water's edge staring into the haunting vision. I skirted around for a couple of hours following the edge, taking photographs. It was only when I saw a dog in a temple struggling and looking lost that I had a sudden pang of sorrow. Later I saw two cats crying and looking for each other amid the garbage. It made me sad and wanting to help. Then I looked around at the people whose houses have been destroyed. Garbage everywhere and lowly figures sifting through sodden belongings. I started to feel guilty and headed back to the highway. I called in on Tom, who had arrived back from a holiday in Sumatra. A little early in the day as he blearily-eyed opened his aprtment door. He was welcoming as always and we chatted for a while, wondering where Patrick was, as his house lay in the middle of this lake.

Tom called round in the evening. He was waded to Patrick's house but there was no one there. Apparently, according to the stout lesbian who runs a tiny and excellent resstaurant opposite, informed Tom that Pat was housed-up at his girlfriend's house in the next street. Tom retreated back to dry land, knowing that our Irish buddy was okay.

Obviously, school is out, and I even wonder if we have jobs anymore. It's like the city is destroyed. There are underground carparks in there that must be 20 meters underwater. The entire central area on the town, including the railway station was hit but a good meter or two of water. The cost must be astronomical. I suspected there must be looting going on. Food in the surviving supermarkets and 7/11 is all sold out, ATM's are down. Electricity, phone, internet are all down. Oi gave away half our available money to a friend who was penniless and unable to buy any food. We have been living off the junk food that is available; crappy hot dog sausages, crisps and chocolate. It has been a great taste of what a future anarchy might be like.

Yet, of course, I did witness the famous Thai resilence. Smiling faces and everybody helping witnessed at the tsunami a few years ago. Thai people are fantastic at disaster recovery and slowly, steadily go about cleaning up and handing out food the very moment disaster strikes. Tom said he even saw someone cleaning the the upper half of their motorbike while the under half still remained submerged. As pointless as fitting wheels to a tomato? Possibly, but that's Thailand.

We (Oi, Gracie and myself) have been so lucky, epecially as we moved out of the town a year ago. We have been counting our stars and I, for one, have been relishing the time off work. I don't know how long it will be before they re-open the schools. We will have to wait and see.

On a global note, the world seems a very dangerous place right now. China and Russia are laying into Japan and these groups of disputed islands, the war of Muslims against Christians seems to be going up a level and I watched a terrifying docu about the resource war kicking off between China and the US as our Chinese friends buy into every available country in their quest for oil. It seems just a spark could set off a great war.